Dreams of Freedom
by Number 947
Summary: Number: Slave 947. Unable to speak, but works well in and outdoors. Bit of a temper to it. Its bidding price was 5,000- eventually worked up to 20,000,000. Sold to the Doctor. Name given to it: Clara Oswin Oswald.
1. Chapter 1

**Inspired by the story "24601" by Tron45. Lyrics borrowed from XAmbassadors, Renegades.**

* * *

 _Long live the pioneers_

 _Rebels and mutineers_

 _Go forth and have no fear_

 _Come close, the end is near._

* * *

Standing on the filthy floor of the auction stage, Clara watched as another slave- Adam Mitchell- was sold off to a cruel looking man. She gave Adam a look that said ''Fuck you" as he was led away. Nobody liked Adam.

Unexpectedly, she felt a whip crack against her back, throwing her to the floor and face planting. With some difficulty she sat up and spat the blood out of her mouth.

"Up, bitch," the guard said, and none-too-kindly hauled her to the podium where she would be sold. She only got a glance at the crowd before her head was forced down.

Rule number one: Look down. Never look up, cause then you'll just stare at the face of cruelty.

Clara listened as they bid for her, resisting the urge to look at whoever was buying her.

"Let's see all of her!" One man cried, and Clara was suddenly forced to turn around. Her slave clothes really exposed most if her, so she didn't need to take those off. One man wolf-whistled at her. Clara caught the look of another slave she didn't know while she was turned around. He looked at her with sadness. Clara returned it.

Rule Number Two: It's a team effort. Never turn on your fellow slaves unless they've turned on you. (Like Adam.)

She suddenly was grabbed by the arm and reflexively tried to flinch back. The grip softened, and she found herself looking into sharp blue eyes. Quickly, she ducked her head as the guard tied her up.

"Yer new master," he growled. "Good rid'ance ta you, 947." He pushed her to the floor again. Clara heard him say to her new master, "She's a ri' problem, tha' one. Ha' to cut 'er vocal cords ou' jus' ta stop 'er from screamin'."

Her new master said nothing, and Clara couldn't see his expression. She saw black boots in front of her and she flinched, waiting for a kick, but instead saw a face. It smiled at her, and she looked down again. Her new master helped her up to her feet.

Clara looked at him in astonishment.

Rule Number Sixty-Nine: If they're nice to you, be suspicious.

Her master turned and quickly walked out of the room, not bothering to look and see if Clara was following. It was either him or the guard, and Clara chose him.

She followed him outside to where a carriage was waiting. She waited until he turned to another lady wearing a veil.

"This is 947," he said. "I don't know her real name, and she can't talk. Do you know sign language?" He asked turning to her.

Clara nodded her head, then jingled her shackles to say she couldn't really sign anything right then.

"Ah, yes," her master said. He dug into his pocket and pulled out the card that would unlock her chains. He held up the card in front of her. "Can't lose this," he said, with half a smile on his face. She gave him an odd look, but he just grinned back at her and unlocked her hands.

"So, how much do you know?" Her master asked.

Clara held up two fingers, slightly apart. (A little bit.)

"Oh," he replied. "Well, if you can't talk, we'll just have to teach you."

Actually, Clara could talk. The guard hadn't been lying when he said he'd cut out her vocal cords, but for some reason, because they usually don't tend to heal, they came back. She could talk, she just didn't prefer to as it was an advantage. She'd suspected long ago that she'd caught some extra Time Lord regeneration energy, and it had repaired them.

But she wasn't going to tell anyone that because it was against the law for slaves to steal anything, much less regeneration energy.

Her master yanked open the door to the carriage. "Madame Vastra," he said, bowing and motioned her in. "You don't have to act like that," she berated him.

"But you're a lady! It's custom."

"Old laws, Doctor, old customs. Nobody does that anymore."

He grinned. "I do."

Madame Vashtra rolled her eyes and got in.

"947," the Doctor said, motioning in the carriage.

Clara looked up, startled. She was supposed to ride in there? With him?

"Yes, you ride in here with me and Vash," he said, as if he was answering her unasked question. Cautiously she approached the carriage, and she climbed in, sitting on the seat opposite Vashtra.

"Strax," she heard the Doctor call, "Bring us home, please."

"Right away, sir," and Clara heard the snap of the reigns. She flinched involuntarily. She looked up to see the Doctor looking at her uncertainly.

She made a fist with her right hand and rubbed it on her left side of her chest. (Sorry.)

"There's nothing to apologize for," he said quietly. Clara looked down at the carriage floor and her bare feet. Nobody said anything until they reached their destination. They all got out of the carriage, Clara going first, and they all walked up to the door. A handsome looking man opened it.

"Ah, Jack," the Doctor greeted, as did Vashtra.

"Hello, sir," he bowed.

"Now Jack," the Doctor began but Jack just laughed and let them all in. Clara paused for a moment to take in the foyer.

Off to the right there was a kitchen, and to the left was a hallway going Rassilon-knows-where and in front of her there was a large staircase with a balcony. The walls were painted a cream color, and there was white carpet covering the staircase room and wood floors in the foyer. She turned to look at the kitchen and found everyone staring at her. She swallowed and looked down.

"Jack, page Martha and tell her to prepare a bath for Clara and give her a full exam. If she needs anything, she knows where the TARDIS is. I'll be in my study, if you need anything."

"Yes, sir," Jack said. He turned to Clara.

"Look around. We don't bite. Martha will find you in a few minutes and give you a check up, then you can have a bath. Come to the kitchen when you're done, and Jackie and Rose will have a meal ready for you." He walked off.

Clara watched him leave and then took another look at the staircase room. She might get the carpet dirty, and she'd be exploring the kitchen later, so she decided to go explore the hallway. There were three doors on the left and two on the right. There was a bend after that. Clara decided she'd look into it later. She opened the first door apprehensively, but when nothing happened, she looked in.

A laundry room.

She closed the first door and moved to the one on the right. It was a crafts room with many papers and glue and everything you'd need to make anything. She opened the next door on the right, and it was more or less the same, just with string and yarn and cloth. The second door on the left was a pantry, stocked with food. Clara quickly closed it and moved in to the third one which looked like a medbay. She guessed Martha spent a lot of time in here.

She turned to the door after exploring this room, but there was the Doctor standing there. She gasped and jumped back.

"Sorry," he said. He leaned against the door frame.

Suddenly the intercom next to him buzzed. "Sir, Martha's at the pharmacy. She went to pick up more supplies."

The Doctor hit the button for his reply. "Thank you, Jack, I'll take care of it."

The Doctor stared at her, even though she had lowered her head again.

"You don't have to keep doing that," he said. "Not here."

Clara looked at him through her bangs.

"Can you talk? At all?"

She stared at him.

"Well," he said. "I can fix that." He crossed the room and put his hand to her throat. Clara immediately fought against him. She'd been choked once and was determined to not have it happen again. She threw him to the ground and took a step back.

"Wow," he groaned, sitting up. "You could teach the karate class." He stood up and looked at Clara. She was trembling.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I probably should've told you what I was doing first. I was going to regenerate your vocal cords. Are you okay?"

She nodded shakily.

Then she opened her mouth and said, "Y-you don't ha-ave to."

"So you can talk."

"...Y-yeah."

"Why didn't you before?"

Clara closed her eyes as if the question pained her. "It- it's easier n-not to."

"Oh." He understood. "As a self defense thing?"

She nodded.

"Well," he began, "Martha's out in Chinatown buying more medicine- do you want me to do your check up?" In response to her side eyes, he said, "All of my charges get a check up, their own room, and food. No one is treated badly. You can look anywhere; that's not a beating rod or whip anywhere."

"Oh."

"What's your real name?" The Doctor asked, steering the conversation around to that particular subject.

"Clara. Clara Oswin Oswald, slave Number 947, sir."

"That's a very nice name. Except the number part. I hate those numbers."

"I...think we can do that c-check up n-now, sir."

"Alright." He led her over to the white bed where she sat. He got out a few bandages and a slave, then turned back to her. "For your back," he explained, then set to work.

"So," he said, "you seem to not stutter when you said your name. Why is that?"

Clara spoke barely above a whisper. "I've got a st-stutter out of f-f-fear, sir, and m-my name is th-the only thing that t-they _can't_ take aw-way from me."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure that stutter will go away with time. Would you like me to arrange speech lessons with Donna? She does have a mouth."

Clara laughed softly, and the Doctor grinned. He finished tying the bandages and stood up.

"This," he began, taking out a small remote with a single button on it, "is a scanner. It scans you for other injuries and tells me what's healthy." He pressed the button and blue waves came out of it. They bounced to Clara, then bounced into the air and formed words in Circular Gallifreyan for the Doctor to read.

She watched as his expression went from aloof to serious. He looked from her to the words, to her, then to the words, then to her.

"This... this... Wow. It- this- it's just..." he stared for a moment, then shook his head. "You've been through a lot, haven't you?" His eyes were full of kindness, and she found herself inexplicably drawn to look at him.

The intercom buzzed again. "Sir, Martha just called; she'll be here in around five minutes."

"Thank you, Jack. Tell Jackie to please make a pot of tea; I'm suddenly drained. Have Rose deliver it to my study."

"Yes, sir."

He turned around and saw Clara looking at the words in the air with confusion.

"Can you read?" He asked. Clara jumped but relaxed somewhat when she saw who it was.

"No. I wasn-nt ever taught, sir."

The Doctor ruffled his gray hair. "This really is beyond me and this room. Come with me." He started out of the room, Clara following. He pried her for some more information about herself on the way to wherever they were going.

"Where are you from?"

"I used to l-live in a smaller v-v-village on the r-river of Lethe, sir," she said with a small smile. "My mot-ther and grandmother ran the h-house."

"What about your father?" The Doctor inquired, heading up the staircase.

Clara seemed to lose her energy about her family. "He... was..."

"You don't have to," the Doctor said, realizing his mistake.

"N-no, it- it's f-f-fine, sir. Can I just s-say... I d-didn't just get th-this stutter fr-from my m-masters, sir."

"I'm sorry," he said, with a genuine voice. "Once, I played on the banks of the river of Lethe with my best friend. He nearly drowned."

Clara giggled softly at this as they arrived at a blue box. The Doctor opened the door and went in. She followed.

Clara was used to TARDISes; many of her masters had had at least one. She had been forced to clean the console room and many times their private bedrooms, as well as many other rooms. She just had never seen one so... disorganized. She took in the room. There were a few flubbles hanging on some wires from the cieling, and she could see some flutterwings flying around. There were Rovies scattered about.

"Do you like animals?" She asked, forgetting in awe of this place how scared she was.

She heard the Doctor chuckle. "Can you tell? Really?"

Clara watched in fascination as one flubber climbed down onto the console and over to her. "This is Gandosafroliwinataradru. She loves to meet new people." Gandosafroliwinataradru came up to Clara and sniffed her arm. She made a sort of crowing sound and began climbing the Time Rotor.

"She likes you," the Doctor said. Gandosafroliwinataradru jumped onto Clara's shoulders. They both laughed and continued to the medbady. When Clara stepped through the threshold, she felt a tingly sensation all over her body and she felt a whole lot better.

"That's better. See, the TARDIS heals you the minute you step through the door unless it requires more work, like brain damage or something. You're totally healed."

"Wow," Clara breathed, and Gandosafroliwinataradru twittered her excitement.

"Now, I'll show you to your room and you can get a change of clothes and a bath, alright? Come see me in my study when you're done." The Doctor directed her to a large oak door with a four poster bed and master bathroom. She looked at the taps for the bath and was surprised to find warm water.

"Alright Gandosafroliwinataradru, you'll have to get off now." Now that she was alone, her stutter disappeared. She wasn't used to the kindness bestowed upon her, but she knew when she was alone nothing would happen.

After her bath, she looked in the closet next to her bed and found a silk blue dress and put it on. It felt good against her scarred skin and she thought she looked beautiful in it. She put her old clothes in the trash chute.

She went down back into the foyer, after having found Gandosafroliwinataradru asleep on her bed, so she left her there. She went into the kitchens and found Jack there.

"Hey," he greeted. "Want a tour?"

"Ah, no," Clara said nervously. "I-I'm supposed to- to be in h-his office? I don't k-know where that is."

"Right this way," Jack announced, and he led her around the corner of the hallway she'd been prohibited from exploring. There was a single door- the Doctor's study. She knocked four times on the door, softly.

"Enter," she heard a voice say. She opened the door and sitting there were two men, one was the Doctor, and the other was facing away from her, so she couldn't tell.

"Ah, Clara. Just in time. I do believe that we had a pot of tea ready from Jackie? Will you get it, please?"

"Yes, sir," Clara said and fetched the pot of tea (after being introduced to everyone in the kitchens). She knocked again and brought in the tea, setting it down on the desk between the man and the Doctor.

"When you give it to 'em," she remembered Jackie saying, "Stand on the Doctor's left side, behind him, so you're there when he needs ya."

Clara assumed her position, and caught the man's face. She took an involuntary gasp and stepped back a step. One of her old masters!

"947," he said, a little menacingly. "I never knew you could talk."

Clara could only stare at him with her mouth hanging open. Would the Doctor sell her back?

The Master stood up and walked over to his former slave, much closer to her than Clara or the Doctor would have liked.

"Oh, my," he purred, "Still got it, have we? Is he treating you well?" He caressed her arm. Clara didn't answer right away, still getting over her shock.

"I _asked you a question!"_ He slapped her, hard across the face. Clara made no noise except the one of falling against the wall.

"Excuse me!" The Doctor interrupted. "That is my property you are damaging!"

"She was mine first, Doctor." He turned to Clara. "Get up," he commanded. Clara got up immediately, not wanting a kick to her stomach.

"How much can I have for her, Doctor?"

"She's not for sale, Master."

The Master took out his anger by punching Clara in her shoulder promptly dislocating it. This time she cried out and fell to the floor.

"Stop," the Doctor said. "She's mine. Not for sale. And you will potentially owe me a slave if you kill this one."

The Master glared and bared his teeth, but said nothing. He kicked Clara once more and stalked out of the room.

"You haven't seen the last of me!" He yelled as he left.


	2. Not What You'd Expect

**Wow, more followers than I expected for my first story! Thank you! Congratulations to my first reviewer, GoldenEnderHawk!**

 **Also, to bgeiner, I wasn't able to find the story you were talking about... Lyrics? Who's it by?**

 **On with the second chapter!**

 **(Disclaimer: I own no lyrics of the song 'Renegades', that belongs to XAmbassadors, nor do I own any characters of Doctor Who. I'm just playing with them, and they belong to the BBC. Gallifrey and its characters also belong to the BBC, they are not mine. The game Sepulchasm also belongs to them and I am just borrowing it.)**

* * *

 _All hail the underdogs_

 _All hail the new kings_

 _All hail the outlaws_

 _Speilburgs and kubricks_

* * *

The Doctor bent down to tend to Clara once the Master was gone. She was refraining from crying, and doing a very good job of it, too. Her face was calm, not like you'd expect one to be in this situation. With a shove and a click, her shoulder popped back into place. There was a cut on her lip from where the Master had slapped her, as well as a defining red mark on her cheek.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked worriedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know he knew you."

"I'm f-f-ff-fine, sir," Clara managed to get out. "You didn't k-know."

"Take a break," the Doctor said. "Return when you're ready." He helped Clara up and she left.

 _Great Lords of Gallifrey she's beautiful._ Clara, with her tanned skin and dark hair, her bright eyes... Her scars, and what they said about her. He even loved the way she stuttered. He thought it was cute. And the way Gandosafroliwinataradru had taken to her, she was probably a natural with animals. And not to mention she was good looking around certain other areas.

He sighed and broke out of his reverie. _She's a slave, Theta. You can't have her. After River..._

Before he could stop it his mind took him to a distant memory.

He was a little boy of about sixty seven years of age. Ah, so young. He, too, had once been a slave in the Time Forges, though not because of the Time War. His mother once had been a sepulchasm player, and she sold everything she could in order to play some more, to win. Every night, she'd assure Theta, _It's okay. Tomorrow, we'll win, and we can get out of this barn._

They never did, mainly because his mother wasn't very good at it. Sepulchasm was a complex board game played by adult Time Lords. It could be played by up to six players, and required heavily developed physic abilities. The board itself resembled a relief map of a mountainous Gallifreyan region, upon which were set pieces modelled on the Great Houses. Each piece was colour-coded to match a path on the board.

An eight-sided die was used to move the pieces, and when the die showed the number 45, the player(s) would cry "Sepulchasm!" and the centre of the board would split open to reveal a chasm. The aim of the game was then to prevent the player's piece from falling into the chasm by telekinetically suspending it above the board. The player lost when they lost concentration.

His mother eventually sold everything she had to pay off her debts- even her son. He was sold to a cruel man called Borusa, who was head of Gallifreyan education. There, he met a Time Lady named River Song, who he fell in love with. River was a rebel, and she did the tiniest things that would mess up an operation as a whole. He learned many of his tricks from River.

One day, River went too far with Borusa, and she got a beating that killed her. Theta swore to himself he'd never marry, but now with Clara... He was rethinking that dedication.

But for now, he had other things to attend to.

* * *

Clara looked back at the door before going upstairs to her room. She sat on the floor and Gandosafroliwinataradru crawled into her lap, sensing her sadness.

"I don't know," Clara admitted to her only friend. "I think I love him, but..."

Gandosafroliwinataradru purred sadly.

"And he called me property," she said. "What does that mean? Was it just for Master, or... am I really just property to him?"

Gandosafroliwinataradru growled something at her, and Clara seemed to understand. "Yeah, I don't have to call him Master any more. I belong to the Doctor." It would be weird saying it if she hadn't said something along those lines a million times before.

"I'm a slave," she said, more to herself than Gandosafroliwinataradru. "I'm not allowed to love."

"But you do it anyway," a voice said from in front of her. It was Madame Vashtra. Clara made to stand up, as was expected of slaves in front of superiors, but she was waved down. Gandosafroliwinataradru mewled angrily about being dumped off her spot. Vashtra sat down with Clara on the floor.

"I'm going to ask you a series of questions, and you are to answer with one word. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Clara said in a soft voice, almost saying 'mistress' after it, but they were one word answers, so... She hoped she wouldn't get in trouble. Actually, she wasn't sure if Vashtra was her mistress. She mentally filed it away under 'Questions to Ask Later'.

"What do you want, more than anything?"

Clara thought for a moment.

"Freedom."

"What are you afraid of, more than anything?"

She gave the same answer. "Freedom."

"Then why do you want it?"

Clara thought longer this time, trying to summon up all the words into one.

"Control?" It came out more of a question.

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"...Telling."

"Control of what?"

Clara cocked her head to one side.

"If you could have freedom, have control over your life, what would you control?" Vashtra spelled it out for her.

"Desicions," Clara decided.

"Because everyone makes them for you?"

"Yes."

"What if you were never freed?"

Clara tried to make it sound as though it was a fact of life. "Alright."

"It sounds like there's more to that statement," Vashtra smiled.

"Yes."

"Go on."

Clara struggled to find the right word. "Unwanted," she said finally.

"You'd be fine with it, but you still wouldn't like it?"

"Yes."

"Interesting. Are you afraid of love, Clara?"

Startled though she was, she answered yes.

"Why?"

She knew the answer to this one. It was easy. "Slave."

"And slaves aren't allowed to love, yes?"

"Yea."

"Thank you for your time, Clara. I do have a feeling that if you go talk to someone, he could help. He is a doctor, after all." She turned and left, closing the door behind her.

Clara looked at the door, absently petting Gandosafroliwinataradru. "Should I go talk to him?" She asked her faithful friend.

Gandosafroliwinataradru shook her head no.

"Yeah, you're right. I can get through this."

Gandosafroliwinataradru made a sound that sounded like a growl and a sneeze.

"Oh, do you think so?"

Gandosafroliwinataradru twittered.

"Well, I suppose it was just a suggestion... but if I don't want to, then I don't have to until ordered."

Gandosafroliwinataradru growled at her.

"Alright, I won't talk to him."

Gandosafroliwinataradru settled in her lap more comfortably and they both sat there until the intercom rang throughout the house: "Servant lunch is ready! Be in the kitchens in five minutes. Clara and Rose, wherever you are, come now."

Clara sighed. "Come on, Gandosafroliwinataradru, it's lunchtime."

* * *

Clara made her way down the stairs with Gandosafroliwinataradru perched on her shoulders. It was quickly becoming her favorite spot. Clark's belly growled; it had been three days since she'd eaten, and being at the auction for two of them really didn't help.

She reached the kitchens the same time as Rose did. Jackie, Rose's mum, had two plates ready, one for the Doctor and one for Madame Vashtra. Gandosafroliwinataradru jumped off her shoulders in search of food for herself.

"I'll take the one to Vashtra," Rose volunteered. "Make a plate for me, will you, Jack?" Rose left, and Clara was stuck taking the plate to the Doctor.

Jack grinned at her. "I'll make a plate for you, too, sweetheart. Are you allergic to anything?"

"No," Clara said, and she took the plate and made her way to the Doctor's office. The door was open, and after checking he wasn't in there, she placed the tray on the table.

The door swung closed.

Clara turned around and standing there was the Doctor. He looked like he had just gotten out of a blender.

"947," he said. He laughed. A high, cold, menacing laugh. This wasn't the Doctor she was used to.

"D-Doctor?"

"Shhhhh..."

He walked over to her, slowly, and placed a finger on her lips.

"Little Clara, small midget sized Clary," he said in a singsong voice.

"Uh... Doc-Doctor?"

 _"I SAID QUIET!"_ He slammed his hands on the desk, making Clara flinch. The door suddenly flew open, and there was Jack, Mickey, Rose and Vashtra. The Doctor swung around to them. Drunkenly he took two steps forward, his blue eyes looking around wildly. He mussed his grey hair. Vashtra took charge.

"Doctor, really, you must stop drinking when you're upset." The Doctor laughed and turned back to Clara. Jack then took this opportunity to tackle the Doctor from behind (or at least try to, he missed and knocked himself out).

Rose yelled at the Doctor to stop, and Mickey tried to go in for a punch. Neither worked, and Mickey ended up on the floor next to Jack.

"Clara, climb over the desk, right now and hide under it," Vashtra commanded, then pressed the intercom button and called for Jenny and Strax.

Strax came bearing a grenade, which Madame Vashtra said he could not use inside the house, and Jenny showed up with a samurai sword. Together they fought the Doctor until he, too, lay next to Mickey and Jack.

"Rassilon," Clara said in response to the amazing display.

"All in a day's work, dear," Vashtra replied.

* * *

~~~Back in the Kitchen~~~

"Here, eat this, it will make you feel better," a now conscious Jack said to her. He handed her a bar of a dark looking substance that smelled faintly sweet.

"What is it?"

Jack looked at her strangely, as did everyone else in the Kitchen. "You've never had chocolate?"

"Ah... no? I don't think so, at least."

"Well, try some and see what you think. I'll get your food." Clara broke off a square and put it in her mouth. It tasted sweet and a little bitter at the same time. "Mmmmmm," she said. "I like it."

"Makes ya feel better, dunnit?" Jackie asked her as she passed with a pot filled with... something.

"Yeah," Clara laughed.

"Are you sure you're alright, dear?" Vashtra asked her again.

"Yes, m'am, I'm fine. Just a little shaken, is all, m'am," Clara replied. She had been through worse. "How's Mast- err... The Doctor?"

Vashtra sighed. "He is being taken care of in his TARDIS. I daresay she'll take care of him."

Clara nodded and Jack came back with her food. Roast beef, sweet potatoes, and a salad! She'd never had so much food in her life!

"This is all for me?" She asked in astonishment. "Wow. I've never gotten this much food before." Jack smiled a little sadly at her then went to get his own food.

"Excuse me, m'am?" Clara asked. "I was... I was wondering what you meant when you said he drinks when he's upset."

Vashtra rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I am afraid that is not my place to say," she said. "You should ask him about that, not me."

"Okay. Sorry for asking, m'am."

"Well, you seem to have lost your stutter," Vashtra said. "Is that a good thing?"

"Really? I didn't notice!" She laughed. "That's so cool. Well, losing the stutter is a good thing, m'am, but how I lost it is not, I think."

"Ah, well," Vashtra replied, "Sometimes bad things make good things happen. I'm going upstairs. I need a break. Jenny? Will you come with me?"

"Yes, m'am," Jenny said (Clara thought it was a little too eagerly) and they both went upstairs. After Clara finished her delicious lunch and chocolate, she went to help Donna and Jackie with the dishes. After that, it was almost time for everyone to go to bed, so she grabbed Gandosafroliwinataradru and went upstairs. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she and Gandosafroliwinataradru were out.


	3. Aftermath of The Incident

**Thank you for all those reviews! They make my day ;)**

 **Also, it has come to my attention that Madame Vastra's name is in fact spelled incorrectly. I apologize for this mistake and will correct any future mistakes of spelling her name.**

 **Disclaimer was in the first chapter, go read it if you really care.**

* * *

 _It's our time to make a move_

 _It's our time to make amends_

 _It's our time to break the rules_

 _Let's begin_

* * *

Darkness.

Trapped in darkness, nowhere. Nobody, nothing, darkness.

 _Hello, darkness, my old friend..._

A blue tendril, dark as it was, snaked into the never ending darkness and lit it up, just enough for him to actually see the thing. Emanating off of it was a song, and it was maybe the most irritating song he'd heard.

 _I've come to talk with you again..._

He was confused as the tendril brought in more, all different colors... purple, red, orange, green... a screen started and one snaked over to it.

 _Because a vision softly creeping left its seeds while I was sleeping_

The screen showed River Song, being taken away while the Doctor stood to watch, helpless and bound by his chains. Her hands flew out from Borusa's grip, and she was screaming for the Doctor to help, but he couldn't. Borusa grabbed her in a tighter grip and they both disappeared behind the doorway of the Room, the Room where every bad slave was sent.

And oh, he heard the screams, the strained grunts of Borusa as he hit her, over and over again... The crack of the whip as it hit her back, and River Song's nails as she clawed at the door to get out... and her last scream, the last breath she'd ever take.

"No," the Doctor said, suddenly finding himself kneeling in front of the screen. "No, please, no, not again..."

 _And the vision planted in my brain still remains... within the sound of silence._

The screen showed Borusa slamming the door open and the young Doctor watched, horrified, as he dragged River's body out and he saw her back, bloodied by the mistakes they had made, and he saw her eyes, glazed over with terror. He tried to cover his eyes with his hands, but they were shackled, and he realized that those shackles would never hold him again after his own beating.

 _In restless dreams I walked alone, empty streets of cobblestone, 'neath the halo of a street lamp._

And suddenly the screen disappeared and the Doctor felt those chains around his wrists and feet again. And he realized, with horror, that he was reliving his own punishment. He flinched back as Borusa knelt down to take them from the wall and attach them to the wall inside the Room, to ensure his captive wouldn't escape.

He could smell the blood now, River's blood, and knew that she had died for nothing. River Song really was gone, and now he was going to meet her up where the older slaves said every slave went- to the second hell. This was just the first one, they always said. The second one is worse.

How is it worse? The younger ones would always ask.

You'll find out soon enough, they always said.

And he was helplessly dragged the same way as River Song was into the room, where he would die.

The first blow landed on him, and he prepared to die soon, he welcomed Death. Except for the young Doctor, Death did not visit him that night. The Doctor lived, and he knew that death would come some other day.

But first, his mission was to free every slave, every single one who had been treated the same way he had, and let them live.

The blows continued into his unconsciousness.

 _In the sound of silence._

* * *

Colors.

Swirling, whirling, everywhere colors. He reached out to grab one- dark blue and red and yellow and green, just to make sure the darkness wouldn't return, and his master could never do that again.

Then he was falling, falling down, down, down, down...

And he hit the floor with a _thump._

The colors faded as the Doctor realized he had fallen off his bed and onto the floor. His head hurt more than a whip had, and he wondered what had happened.

Then there was a voice, somewhere just out of his head, and it spoke in a loud, very loud, voice. He whimpered and covered his ears, curling into a ball. He felt something stroke his hair, and the motions made him feel better, enough to try and sit up. The thing stroking his hair provided assistance, and soon he was dazedly sitting back on the bed.

Then the voice came back and it spoke in much lower tones, and he could understand them this time.

"Someone had a terrible nightmare," and the Doctor focused on who was even saying it. It was Martha Jones, his resident doctor and psychiatrist. Behind her he could make out Vastra, Jack, and Jenny.

He groaned.

"Yeah, and you've got a giant hang over, mate."

He muttered some inaudible words.

"Don't be like that. You almost took out one of your own staff. This headache is probably what you deserve."

A sudden voice, only in his head, but it sounded real as Martha right now. _You DESERVE all this pain, you arrogant slave!_

Borusa.

Mentally he whimpered in front of his cruel Master, but was brought back quickly by Martha.

Clearing his throat of mucus and spit, he asked in a gravelly voice, "Who?"

"Clara," Martha said offhandedly as she checked his head with some device he didn't remember the name of.

"And you made me knock myself out," Jack added.

"Oh, Rassilon," the Doctor groaned. "How is Clara?"

"Gee, I'm fine, by the way," Jack grumbled.

Vastra elbowed him to shut him up. "Clara is fine. She claims to just be a little shaken. You did not physically harm her. However, you did knock out Mickey, and it took Jenny, Strax, and I to stop you."

"I'm sorry," he immediately apologized. "Really, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He put his face in his hands, guilt eating at him for attacking his friends and trusted servants.

"Hey," Martha said, taking his chin in her hand gently and forcing him to look her in the eyes, "It's okay. No-one was hurt. It's okay."

"Can I talk to Clara? Is she okay?"

"I have a feeling Clara would not like to talk to you right now," Vastra said. "She did not desire to help put you here, and she expressly asked to be away from you for a while."

The Doctor said some rather colorful things in Gallifreyan.

"Watch your language," Jenny chastised, but she had a smile on her face.

Martha handed the Doctor a piece of paper when she finished her check-up. "Whenever you're ready, come see me. Doctor's orders." She left, as did Vastra and Jenny, leaving Jack alone with him. He read the paper. In Martha's thick handwriting, it said, _Nightmares. Session with psychiatrist to be scheduled._

"Dammit," the Doctor said.

"What?" Jack asked sitting next to him.

"It's just the prescription," he said. "It's nothing."

"You know," Jack said after a few moments of silence, "Clara's been sleeping for almost two days."

The Doctor looked up at this.

"Martha said she's probably emotionally and physically drained, and to leave her alone. Although that pet of hers, it keeps coming down to the kitchens for food."

The Doctor laughed softly at this. "Doesn't surprise me."

"So what's really bothering you?"

The Doctor tore his eyes away from Jack. "Nothing," he lied.

"Bullshit."

The Doctor gave him a Look.

"Sorry," Jack apologized. "But I know that's not the case."

His companion sighed. "Okay, there is something, I guess."

"You can tell me, Doc," Jack said. "A man-to-man talk. Well, no, a man-to-Time-Lord."

"It's Clara," the Doctor finally admitted. Jack was silent, knowing, he'd say more. "I think... I think she's..."

"What?"

"Amazing," the Doctor finally said in a shy whisper. "I think she's beautiful."

"Ahh," Jack said. "A crush. It _is_ possible for you!" He grinned impertinently.

"Jack," the Doctor whined.

"What? It's only the second crush you've ever had. In any of your lives. Don't blame me for being surprised."

 _"Anyway,"_ The Doctor said, "I don't know what to do about it."

"Well," Jack thought, "Figure out a way to see if she feels the same way. If she doesn't, then... I'm real sorry, but if she does, tell her how you feel."

"I could ask Vash," the Doctor said thoughtfully. "I think she's talked to Clara, her little one-word answer thing."

"Good idea. I'd either do that or go talk to Clara myself. And you could order her, if she doesn't want to come voluntarily."

"I wouldn't do that. If she wants to come, then I'll wait until she does."

"Didn't think you would. Is there anything else bothering you?"

The Doctor debated on telling him about his nightmares, but he decided against it. "No," he said. "Just lovestruck."

Jack grinned at him. "I'll get back to my job, then. Hope I got some worries off your chest." He left, and the Doctor did realize he felt a bit better now that he'd talked to someone. Jack and Martha had always been there to talk to him, to make him feel better, and he hadn't been disappointed. He got up to go to his study, and had Rose deliver a pot of tea.

* * *

Clara yawned as she stretched out on the most comfortable thing she'd ever slept on. She wondered how long she'd been sleeping, or why she had something comfortable. Usually slaves slept on mats or a floor. Slowly, everything came back to her.

She gasped and sat straight up. Throwing off the covers, she did her morning wee and changed her outfit she had slept in for a new one. They were all exactly the same, but she couldn't wear the same one she'd slept in. She brushed her hair with a brush she found on her bathroom sink and made sure she looked decent. Dimly she noticed that Gandosafroliwinataradru was gone. Probably in the kitchens. Clara would pick her up later. She threw open the door, slid down the banister (she'd _always_ wanted to do that) and entered the Kitchen, where she found Jack recently returning.

He had a funny look on his face. Clara didn't ask, but she did ask what was for breakfast. Jackie and Donna gave her chocolate chip pancakes and a banana with fresh apple juice. She made small talk with Jack as she ate, then delivered her utensils back to Donna and Jackie. Rose delivered a pot of tea to the Doctor in his study, and Clara accompanied Jack to the door when the doorbell rang.

He opened it.

To both their surprises, Lord President Rassilon was standing there, regal in every way. He was wearing crimson and orange robes with the infamous Time Gauntlet. Jack, quickly getting over his surprise, bowed, and Clara did the same.

"Please, sir, some in," Jack said, and he closed the door behind Rassilon.

"Where is your master?" He inquired. "I wish to speak with him."

"Yes, sir," Jack said. "Our master is in his study. Clar- er, 947 will take you there, sir, unless you require our master out here."

"I will go to his study," Rassilon said. "It is private business. And what is your number?" He voiced the last part to Jack.

"My number is 375, sir," Jack replied.

"Very well. Take me to your master's study, 947."

"Yes, sir, right away, sir." Clara bowed and led him to the Doctor's study. She was a bit nervous about seeing him so soon after the Incident (as she had taken to calling it) but it was the Lord President so she'd have to deal with it. They arrived at the door, and she knocked.

"Come in," a voice said, and Clara turned the knob and opened it.

"Master?" She said, deliberately calling him that just to put on that he really was a slave master and not a kind man.

"What? I told you you don-" he stopped in his tracks.

"May I introduce the Lord President Rassilon of Gallifrey," she said bowing. Rassilon entered the Doctor's study. The Doctor was on his feet in a second, crossing over to Rassilon and bowing at his feet.

"My Lord," the Doctor said, kissing both feet, "I welcome you to my humble home, in hopes it as well as I and all my serv- slaves serve you well." He stayed kneeling until Rassilon replied, "I thank you, most noble Doctor, for offering entrance into your home. Arise." The Doctor got up and Clara took her cue to leave.

The Doctor waited until Rassilon sat to sit down himself.

"I have come," Rassilon said, "to invite you to the ball. It is my daughter's wedding, and I would like the noble house of Lungbarrow to attend. I have already asked the Cousins of Lungbarrow, and they have all accepted. Will you?"

"My Lord," the Doctor gasped, "it is an honor to be invited to your noble daughter's wedding. The house of Lungbarrow will attend."

Rassilon nodded His head. "As custom, you are required to bring two slaves to help serve at the party. Will you deliver them previously or arrive with them?"

"If I am allowed, my Lord, I will attend with them, unless they are needed earlier than the day of."

"They are not," Rassilon said. "We need two females, if you would bring them."

"Of course, my Lord. I will bring two females."

"The ball will be held two days from now," Rassilon said. "It is at the house of Omega."

"Yes, my Lord. Is there anything else?"

"That is all," He said, and He got up from His chair.

"947," the Doctor said over the intercom. "Come and show Lord Rassilon out." Clara was there within a minute. She opened the door for Him, and Jack did the same thing at the front for Him. Once He was out the door and had teleported back to the Citadel, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well," the Doctor grinned to Clara and Jack, "looks like I'm going to the ball."


	4. Shopping

**If anyone has questions about the Houses or what Rovies are, look them up on TARDISWiki and Tumblr (I do it by Google Search). Most everything I am using is actually canon, and it's actually really interesting when you get past the first paragraph.**

 _ **The mention of the holiday Christmas is used in this chapter. I myself am Christian, so I do not mind the use. If you are part of any other religion(s), this use of the holiday is not meant to offend you. It is simply used to describe similarities between Christmas and the Gallifreyan holiday mentioned in this chapter, using the same type of celebrations, though it does not express celebrating the Christian God. This use of Christmas is not meant to offend anyone in any way, shape or form.**_

 **Disclaimer was in the first chapter, go read if you care, although I am using a new song's lyrics, _Just be Held_ by Casting Crowns. I don't own this song, either, just using it to express the Whouffle that is to come later, and I will change some words to make it better for the story.**

 **(Spoilers!)**

* * *

 _Hold it all together, everybody needs you strong_

 _But life hits you out of nowhere and barely leaves you holding on_

 _And now I'm tired of fighting, chained by your control_

 _There's freedom in surrender_

 _Lay it down and let it go_

* * *

The next day the Doctor left the mansion to go buy a wedding present.

He soon returned and brought Jackie with him, as well as Rose.

"I don't know what to buy!" He exclaimed when they asked where they were going. "I've never bought something for a woman. I don't know how."

They traveled by TARDIS to the Citadel, where it was known to have many shops and restaurants in the middle, like a mall. Only the richest people shopped there. They parked in TARDIS parking (yes there are things like that) and entered the mall.

"The first thing you're looking for," instructed Jackie, "is something elegant. Women love somethin' elegant, like chocolate."

"So... can I just buy a box of chocolates?" The Doctor said, hoping he could get this over with.

Jackie slapped his arm. "No, silly," she said. "This is a _weddin'._ You can't just buy chocolates for a weddin'."

"See, women like elegance with a li'l thought to it. If ya just buy chocolates, then she'll know you didn't put much thought to it. It means something to them," Rose coached.

"Especially if it's Rassilon's daughter. And then you have to buy a present for her husband, don't forget," Jackie added.

The Doctor put his head in his hands and groaned. "Why don't you just go and find something for both of them, and come back and find me?"

"Nope," they said at the same time, grinning. "If we're goin' to teach ya, you're gonna learn."

* * *

Several hours and opkes later, the Doctor, Jackie, and Rose returned with six presents for both bride and groom. Jackie and Rose were chatting excitedly about the wedding, wondering what sort of dress the bride would wear, what sort of music would the Towers of Derillium would sing (recorded, obviously), and, of course, who the groom was. The poor Doctor was left to carry the gifts they had bought. Exhausted, he dumped them in the crafts room to be wrapped later and practically collapsed on his bed in the room connected to his study.

 _And I still have to talk to Clara,_ he thought. Sighing heavily, he sat up (why did his back hurt so much?) and made his way to the arts and crafts room.

Fifteen minutes later, he had four badly wrapped presents and still had eight more to go. "Gods," he thought. "I'll never get this done."

Another five minutes later and he had Clara helping him with wrapping them, as she had worked in the most houses with children and therefore would know how to wrap their presents on the eve of Otherstide.

"No, no- you're- it doesn't- it goes the opposite way, Doctor," Clara caught his mistake before he made it.

"Oh," he said sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I'm really terrible at celebrations. I can imagine, though, you've had lots of practice wrapping presents."

"Yeah," Clara said. The Doctor noticed her stutter was gone. He put it under 'Things to Contemplate Later.' "A lot of my previous masters... They had kids, and of course they wanted things, so I had to shop for them and wrap them all."

They continued in silence, Clara every once in a while correcting a mistake of his.

"So... I had a question," Clara said. "Actually, two."

"Fire away," the Doctor said, still trying to get the tape dispenser to work properly.

"Um... is... is Madame Vastra a mistress, or is she..."

The Doctor looked up in surprise. He laughed. "No," he said. "She's a very old friend of mine who recently got evicted from her home. She asked if she could stay with me, and she's been staying for about three years. I don't mind, really, it's nice to have someone plan things out for you."

"Oh," Clara said. "I didn't know."

"What's your second question?"

"What's an Otherstide Day like?"

(This one never ceases to amaze him.)

"You've never had an Otherstide Day before?" Clara shook her head and finished the fifth present for the bride.

"Well, and Otherstide Day is a celebration similar to the planet Sol 3's Christmas, held annually in honour of the Other, one of Gallifrey's founders.

"It consists of a feast followed by various forms of entertainment, often shows and plays depicting the story of the Other's banishment from Gallifrey. As part of the celebration, the cousins of each Great House won't step foot outside until the night was over. This is to immitate how the people of the Citadel hid within their homes while Rassilon chased the Other out of the city."

Coincidentally, the Doctor's Naming Day was the same day as the eve of Otherstide.

"Huh," Clara said. "It sounds like fun. I've never had one, you know. Always watched the kids and their parents go out and celebrate, but I always had to stay in and clean up. Never had one, even when I lived on the river of Lethe."

"Well," the Doctor said. "It's just lucky for you we have our own little Otherstide celebration here, isn't it?"

"Oh, _really?_ Oh, it would be amazing to attend one! Do we go anywhere? What food do we eat? Is anyone special coming?" She fired out questions so fast the Doctor's mind couldn't catch them all.

"Woah, woah, slow down! You'll ruin it all!" She quieted, and the Doctor can continued. "I can't tell you everything, but I can say that Jack and Ianto always put on a _hilarious_ romance show, where one is Rassilon and the other is the Other, who always complains to Rassilon about how much he loves him, and Rassilon _almost_ lets him go but then he realizes that it's forbidden love, so he always banishes the Other. It's always different every year, so we can't really expect what's next. They always choose different people every year to play different parts, and everyone plays it so well.

"Jackie and Donna create a feast where everyone eats together, and we have music in the background. We have a dance where everyone is required to dance with everyone at least once, and, whoo, Jenny and Vastra... oh, I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?"

"That all sounds amazing," Clara said. "I can't wait."

The Doctor only grinned in response.

It came to their attention that they had, in fact, wrapped all the presents for the wedding, and it was then that the Doctor asked Clara to serve at it, if she'd like. She gladly accepted the invitation and went to ask Amy if she'd go too.

The Doctor had a good feeling that he'd repaired his relationship with Clara after The Incident.

And now, he had to go get his (un)lucky suit tailored.

* * *

 **I'm sorry that this chapter is shorter than most but I want to save the actual wedding part for the next chapter, because it's hella long. Thank you for understanding. (It's only off by 567 words to make it 2,000, which is my goal I set for myself.)**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO 2016 BEING AWESOME!**


	5. Juno Waves

**I feel terrible! I haven't updated! Well, I was in Denver for the past week, and school started again, but that's not an excuse! I'm so sorry!**

 **Should I make a schedule? Can I just promise to update every other weekend? I think I'll do that, but after this chapter, yeah?**

 **Review, cause it makes me happy!**

* * *

 _So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away_

 _You're not alone, stop holding on, and just be held_

 _Just be held_

* * *

Gandosafroliwinataradru could sense something going on, she just couldn't figure out what. The new one that she had adopted, the one with lines everywhere on her, was more excited than most. So was the Red One.

Also, the One-Who-Changes-Faces was slightly nervous, especially around Lines. They, obviously, could not tell, but Gandosafroliwinataradru was an expert on these sort of things. She climbed around the post of Lines' bed and onto the top. There she settled in wait for her adopted one.

* * *

"Well of course I've met him!" The Doctor said. "And I won't say how it turned out, but I have definitely met Elvis Presley."

"Ooohh, I've got one, I've got one!" Jack said excitedly. "Okay, so, here we are, on the planet Karn, right? The Doc is practically dead, because he's got a head wound, and I'm over here, trying to drag him somewhere out of the line of fire. Remember the complete absurdity of this, 'cause I'm completely naked-"

 _"How_ are you even naked when there's no-one there?!" Rose asked, laughing.

"Alright, alright, because Jack-" the Doctor tried to interrupt, but was interrupted by Jack.

"Well it's not my fault the Sisterhood of Karn got _just_ _a bit friendly!_ And now they're shooting at us with lasers and I don't even know how that happened."

"Oh, that is _not_ what happened!" The Doctor said, pointing at Jack. "That is not what happened at all!"

A friendly bicker started between them as they debated what actually happened.

"Well _you_ were unconscious half the time-"

"I was injured! And I knew what-"

"And we were in a different room-!"

"I don't need to be in the same room to hear-"

"Oh, here we go with the I'm-a-Time-Lord-I-Have-Better-Hearing! Well that doesn't count-"

"I said nothing of the sort, but yes, I have enhanced hearing!"

"Hold on!" Donna screeched over the two of them. They quieted and she pointed at Jack.

"The Sisterhood of Karn," she paused here,"got 'just a bit friendly'? With you? No, mate, they got friendly with _that!"_ she pointed to his lower middle section.

"Is that an invitation?" Jack said, standing up.

"Oi!" Donna exclaimed. "I have standards, newspaper boy! And you ain't fittin' one of them!"

Jack held his hands up in surrender and backed away. "Just a question."

Donna grinned at him and took another gulp of her Bog-Truffle Tincture. It was actually quite good.

"Alright, alright, you two, nobody's going to bed with anyone. Get back to work," the Doctor said between his laughing. He finished his own Ornelian Wine and left. Everyone else at the table dispersed except Amy and Clara. They were discussing the wedding.

Clara took another sip of her tea **(basically the same as Sol-3 tea, but brewed with Gallifreyan plants. A Gallifreyan tea set has over 178 individual pieces)** and wondered if she could get away with grabbing some extra food before the wedding.

"Have you ever had wedding cake?" Clara asked Amy.

"No," Amy sighed. "But I have had a wedding."

"Really?" Clara inquired. Slaves weren't supposed to be married...

"Oh, yeah," she said. "Nothing fancy, though. Couldn't afford it. Just a hop over a broom and I was married to Rory."

" _Rory?"_

"Rory."

"What about Rory?" Rory asked as he came around the corner.

"I was telling Clara the fact that we're married," Amy said casually. Rory sighed. "You're not supposed to tell anyone! We could get in trouble!"

"Oh, it's fine. Clara won't tell anyone."

"Rory!" Martha shouted as she too came to the table. "You can't be my apprentice if you never show up."

"S-sorry," he said. "I gotta go." He kissed Amy on the head. She punched him. "You go, nurse."

"Doctor, technically," he said. Amy rolled her eyes and turned back to Clara as he was dragged helplessly away by Martha.

"So no wedding cake," she said.

"Maybe we'll have some when we're there," Clara hoped.

"Probably not," Amy said. "We're going to be treated terribly there, remember. And since you've been around then you'll be treated worse than me."

Clara sighed as the Doctor appeared. "Why aren't you two getting ready? We leave in an hour and I know women take forever to get ready." He shooed them off.

* * *

 _"There are so many people,"_ Clara exclaimed as they arrived at the doors to the House of Omega. **(Also known as the House of Blyledge, a founding House of Gallifrey.)**

"Yes," the Doctor said. "Now shh and try not to anger anyone, okay?" Clara nodded and bowed her head. It felt normal, even after all these years, to control her fire side and accept whatever fate she was given. Everything that had happened since the auction... it was normal to bow her head again.

Entering the House, Clara was taken by the beauty of it. The crest of Rassilon was hanging above the front entrance gateway, and under it was the crest of Gallifrey. On the floor was an orange and red carpet swirled with green, silver, purple, red and blue, to represent the different factions of Gallifrey. It was littered with shining petals from the Crystal Rose.

Clara could see different parts of the house painted all the different colors, and at every intersection with another wall the colors were swirls around the crest of Rassilon. The Doctor was wearing his Prydon suit of red and orange, and Clara's own slave outfit was red and orange. Many other people she could see were wearing their faction colors- blue, green, silver, purple, and many of the Scendles ranged from light pink to a dark red.

"Rember, your vocal cords got cut out," the Doctor reminded her as he hailed to one of the slave masters. He took them to the kitchen, where Amy would be making the food and Clara would be serving it.

Amy set to work with the food, and after a few moments of boredom, helped her until they had an entire plate filled with roasted Grockleroot. She picked it up and spun outside to see a _shit_ ton of people.

"Oh, gods," she breathed, and nervously began making her way around the room. People paid her no attention except when she stopped by them to offer them some.

After returning for about four more plates of different foods she'd never tried, she heard the clinking of a spoon against glass. She took her cue to leave, as were all the other slaves.

No sooner had Clara set down the plate than the door to the kitchen burst open. A slave master walked in and started barking out orders to all of them. Clara began taking plates of food out and setting them on the table where everyone would sit down with the bride and groom at the Head.

"We are gathered here today to witness the Bonding of bride and groom, to see the loyalty they pledge to each other. Will Entrisell of the Cerulean chapter..." the Binder's voice trailed off as she went back into the kitchen to retrieve the tea set used for the elders. She came aback out silently and pretended not to hear the Binder.

"... and Pandora of the Prydon chapter will now take the rope." Everyone paused as he took the rope and wrapped it around his hand.

Clara began setting out the smaller pieces of the tea set.

"Lord President Rassilon, say _I do consent and gladly give."_

"I do consent and gladly give," Rassilon said, tears in his eyes.

Clara couldn't help but watch as the two whispered their names- real names- in each other's ear. They came together in a passionate kiss, and colors emanated from them, uniting above them in madly swirling tendrils.

And, making sure no-one was watching her, Clara whispered after all the others had shouted it-

 _"Juno Waves."_

* * *

 **This is merely part one, worry not! There's humor to come, much more in the next one... but I did enjoy writing this!**

 **Sources:**

 _ **The Wedding of River Song**_

 _ **TARDIS Index Files**_

 _ **Tumblr Blog F* Yeah Gallifreyan Culture**_

 _ **Fanfiction What Rassilon Hath Joined Together featuring the Doctor and the Master**_

 **^^^^^ In case you were interested, any of you. The fanfiction can be found on LiveJournal, or there's a link in F* Yeah Gallifreyan Culture's blog.**

 **(If any of you have a Tumblr I recommend following their blog. It's quite interesting.)**

 **Review!**


	6. The Family Llama

**On time for the schedule, I hope!**

 **Okay, so to CLARAfy (haha I'm funny), Quences is one of the Doctor's older Cousins. He was the Kithriarch of House Lungbarrow, and he wanted the Doctor to be the next one. Cousin Glospin got angry and stole some of the Doctor's DNA and regenated into him, killed Quences, and blamed it on the Doctor. He escaped and the Loom made another ousin called Owin to replace the Doctor, exceeding the limit for how many Cousins a House could have.** **House Lungbarrow then had no Kithriarch, and falls into the depths of Perdition.**

 **Howver, in this version, the Doctor was named Kithriarch before Glospin killed Quences, therefore House Luungbarrow has not fallen. He still ran away but returnd, and Owin was still Loomed.**

 **(Is it bad that I know this story by heart?)**

 **P.S.: There is no canon family llama.**

* * *

 _10% luck_

 _20% skill_

 _15% concentrated power of will_

 _5% pleasure_

 _50% pain_

 _100% percent reason to remember the name_

* * *

There comes a time in every life where something happens and it is unimaginable. It's so spectacular and amazing, or it could be terrible and hurtful, but everyone has experienced it and most likely will again.

And for Clara, this is no different. Juno Waves- the thing that everybody's heard of but nobody's seen. At least, not many people. Juno Waves are spectacular in themselves.

The goddess Juno was worshipped by Gallifreyans in the early time and was now worshipped by Time Lords and Ladies alike, as well as the earthlings known as Romans. Juno was respected because of her importance of being the goddess of marriage as well as the renewal of time using each waning and waxing of the moon. Juno was also the goddess of fertility and the Time Lords see fertility as Looming.

As Time Lords/Ladies are unable to reproduce through sexual orientation, Rassilon claimed to have gotten the idea of Looming from the goddess Juno. Looking was the idea of a machine literally looming a new Gallifreyan body for the parents to raise. They were biologically related, but not created through sex.

 **(I could go into more but I won't because it's off topic.)**

When a Time Lord and Lady got married, the two were usually so in love they would create Juno Waves. Juno Waves would act as a sort of offering (harmless to the two creating them) to the goddess Juno and would hopefully then secure a bountiful life together, producing many offspring and long lives. It was tradition to shout "Juno Waves" whenever spotted to help the couple along in their new journey. It would also tend to bring good luck upon the person/people who said it.

Clara hoped it would bring her good luck, too.

Soon after, Clara had finished setting the table and went back to the kitchens to get more food to serve people, who had begun milling around in wait of the feast. She took the food on silver platters and began the migrating the circle of people. She swayed in time to the soft music coming from the sonically enhanced speakers. She ignored the looks of many men who wanted her; she just tuned out the world and turned on autopilot.

After however long it had been, she found the Doctor in a corner not easily noticed unless you looked. Autopilot turned off as she listened to the conversation. She hovered near, not too far away.

"So, _Snail,"_ she heard a gruff man's voice say.

The Doctor laughed weakly. "H-hey, Glospin. Uh, S-Sa-Satthralope." He looked very uncomfortable.

"Hello, Cousin," someone who Clara assumed was Satthralope. "Or should I say mighty Kithriarch?"

"N-no, no," the Doctor said. "Please, d-don't call me that. H-how are you two?"

"Oh, you know," Glospin said. "Quences is just... dead. Nothin' new with us. And the fact that we're all in trouble because you ran away. And the family llama, actually."

The Doctor didn't respond.

"Nothing to say, Mighty Kithriarch? The family llama must have followed you somewhere." Satthralope said.

"I'm s-sorry for your loss," he said weakly. "And for getting us all in trouble. And for the family llama- it didn't follow me, I swear. I-if you two hadn't tried to m-murder me, I would have-"

Clara heard a bang and through one of the decorations, she could see the Doctor pinned against a wall by Glospin.

"You will be honored in your new position, and you shall be granted with a new family llama," Satthralope said with an evil grin. "Shall we give you our welcome into Kithriarch?"

Glospin dragged off a struggling Doctor through one of the many hallways in the giant manor, and Clara suspected that she wouldn't see him until the end of the party unless she went after him...

Was she allowed? Leaving her post at the wedding was a dangerous risk, and she probably couldn't hold her own against the Doctor's Cousins.

 _Right then. Settled._

Clara took one last look at the wedding before going down the same hallway as the Doctor had.

* * *

A glance. Something in his prephrial vision. He spared it- nothing, right?

Nope.

An escaped slave. She took one look at the wedding and dissapeared behind the wall separating it. Owin really was not fond of bad slaves, as they always seemed to underestimate him and his power. He was, in fact, illegally alive, _but_ he was still a Cousin of House Lungbarrow.

He was actually his Cousin Theta Sigma's replacement after he ran away and nobody ever thought he would return. So the Loom, he had bee told, made him to replace Theta and had exceeded the population limit. The Loom for House Lungbbarrow really hadn't worked quite right after him.

Nobody had noticed the slave disappear; they were all too busy wrapped up in thier conversations about politics and stuff nobody really cared about. Politics were something nobody ever took seriously unless it was someone important.

Sighing, he set his drink down and went after the slave. Omay, who he had not seen in quite some time, stopped him and began a conversation about the lost family llama. Owin did miss it terribly but it had supposedly run off after Theta after he ra away. It had been a good family llama. He stopped Omay effectively by saying he needed the facilities and continued down the hallway with the colorful rug representing all the factions.

There was a very long hallway in front of him. Why was it so long?

Sighing, he began the trek, and as he got closer, he could hear... whimpers? Was it the slave? Had she gotten caught? Reaching the end of the hallway (finally), he caught a glimpse of a bare foot and a red Prydon-colored dress.

Nope, the slave wasn't giving out those noises. He follwed where he had seen the foot dissapear and found her. He took her by the arm and began dragging her out into the main hallway, struggling.

"No, no," she pleaded. "Please- that's my master in there!"

Stopping his journey, Owin turned to her. He yanked her closer. "Who's your master?" He growled.

"He- he's Kithriarch of House Lungbarrow," the slave stuttered back. "I saw him get dragged away by- by two people named S-Satthralope and Glospin."

Owin loosened his grip on her. He sighed. "Dammit, Theta," he said, and turned back to the slave. "what's your name?"

She rubbed her arm where he had gripped it so tight. "937, sir," she said, looking down.

"No," Owin said, tired of numbers. "Your real name."

"Clara Oswin Oswald, sir."

"Alright then," Owin said. "Take me to him."

Clara led the way down the hall where she had seen Satthralope and Glospin take the Doctor. She stopped in front of a door, and Owin could hear all three of them inside. Motioning for Clara to be quiet, he banged on the door.

"Housekeeping," he said.

There was a pause, then, "Housekeeping's already in here!" from Satthralope.

"Does it say on your schedule?" Owin asked back.

"Uh, yeah, clean room 937," Satthralope shot back.

 _Coincidence? I think not,_ Clara thought to herself. Owin gave her a small smile.

"This is room 936," Owin said, looking at the room number pasted next to the door.

"Yeah, that's totally what I meant to say," Satthralope said.

"Alright, then," Owin said with a devious smile on his face. "Did you dust?"

"Yep," Satthralope said, "already moved on to the next thing."

"Which is?"

"Taking care of the llama, " she said. "It needs a bath."

And then came a muffled cry that sounded suspiciously like 'help'.

"What was that?" asked Owin, although he already knew.

"Uh, just the llama," Satthralope said. "Nothing to worry about." Then a hissed, "Shut him up!'' from Satthralope. There was a sharp smack and a thump.

"Alright," said Owin, " I'm coming in."

He kicked his foot against the doorknob and knocked it off its hinges. Inside was a now unconsious Doctor, bloodied and bruised, and Satthralope and Glospin.

"Owin," Satthralope said. "I should have known."

"Yes," he said. "Why is Theta like that? Where's the family llama?"

Satthralope's brow darkened. "Revenge," she said. "And it ran away with him, don't you remember?"

Owin looked at her. "Right," he said. "For what, exactly? And the Omega family llama, you idiot."

"For being named Kithriarch before I was," Glospin said. "It should have been me. There is no llama in here."

"Yes, because causing three mental beakdowns to Cousin Theta is totally a good thing for your resume," Owin said sarcastically. "There should be a llama in here."

Clara stepped in. "Give him back and we'll do you no harm."

"The llama or Theta?" Glospin said.

Clara gave him an odd look. "The Doctor," she said.

"Oh. Come challenge us, then." He circled around and stopped just in front of the Doctor. "Come get him."

"No need," a new voice said from directly behind Clara, "I'll take her out of your hands." Something pressed against her mouth and before she had time to react, she was in a world of darkness.


	7. Fear

_Wake up,_ Seven said.

 _Wait-_ Four said urgently. _Don't open your eyes._

 _Listen. Feel. Assess,_ One instructed.

 _Don't tell him what to do, One,_ Eight said.

 _I led us better than any of me,_ he shot back.

Six interrupted. _Just kill them with fabulousness._

 _CAN I SHUT UP!_ The Doctor yelled inside his consciousness to his past selves. _I'm listening_.

"-should have been me! There is no family llama in here."

 _Glospin,_ Five said unhelpfully.

"Give him back and we'll do you no harm," said another- Clara!

"...Theta or the family llama?"

 _They're so uptight about that llama,_ Two said.

 _Yes, thank me, we know,_ Nine sassed.

"The Doctor," she said.

"Come to challenge us, have you?" Footsteps. "Come and get him, then."

"Oh, no worries," a new voice said. "I'll take her off your hands." A struggle. Muffled screams. Silence.

 _The Master!_ Three gasped as the Doctor drowned them all out, thinking only of one thing.

 _Clara._

The Doctor opened his eyes, and desperately tried to call out to her- but the gag in his mouth disabled any kind of contact. His hands and feet were bound as well, and as the fastest Time Lord of his years, he didn't like being kept down all that much. Angrily he turned his attention to his arch nemesis.

The Master, in his Gallifreyan military suit, was grinning with a hint of evilness in his eyes and holding an unconsious Clara in his arms. Her head lolled as he moved to adjust her, making the Doctor furious. He strained against his bonds, to no avail.

"So human," he said. "Why did I sell her again?"

"Gfvf hwr fax," the Doctor tried to say through his gag

"Give her back," said Owin, translating. _Owin? When did he get here?_

"Oh, I would," the Master said, setting Clara down and striding over to the Doctor. "But... Understand, I don't want to get too tied up in knots about this."

The Doctor glared and strained to get out of his bonds once more, grunting with the effort.

"Ah, ah," the Master said, placing a finger lightly on a knot just below the Doctor's shoulder blade. He froze instantly, unable to move so long that finger was there.

 _Oh, but it feels so_ ** _good_** , all the Doctors argued.

"Oh, now that's just not fair," Owin said, rubbing his own shoulder self-consiously.

"Shut up," the Master shot back. He knelt and caressed the Doctor's face. "You know, Doctor, I do enjoy those nerve clusters, don't you? They're so fun to play with."

The Doctor obviously didn't respond.

"Freezing in heated times does nothing. If you just hand her over willingly..." the Master trailed off.

"The thought makes me want to _gag,_ " Owin said, unable to resist. The Doctor glared.

"Anyway," the Master said after high-fiving Owin, "We have about an hour before the feast, and I could use a head start." He removed the finger and the Doctor was able to breathe again, and he rested against his ropes, knowing full well that if he restrained, he'd lose all mobility again.

 _Shame how we_ still _go to putty in his hands when he's the one in control,_ more than one Doctor said in his head.

 _It's because we obey,_ he thought involuntarily.

 _ωΗιcΗ ï§ gøøð_ , a new presence said in his mind, and left just as quickly as it had come. The Doctor shook his head confused before he was bombard with images of his past. Things he didn't want to remember. He began to shake with the images coming so frequently and so heavily; his mind could barely hold two consciousnesses, let alone images from one bombarding him.

As the images flashed before his eyes, he realized they were about _him._ That unlocked his own memories, ones he _did not want to see get them out get them_ out!

Just as suddenly as they'd come, they left. The Doctor moaned through the gag, feeling a headache approaching.

The Master knelt beside him again, smiling.

"Good night," he said, placing pressure onto the nerve cluster, and he faded into blackness.

* * *

"Ohhhhh, my head," the Doctor groaned, rolling his neck. "Oh, gods, what was that?" His hands automatically went up to his head, and he was surprised to find he'd been freed.

"That would have been me," the Master said. But it wasn't the Master, it was a hologram previously recorded. "Just thought you should remember all the great times we had."

His view was then blocked by Glospin. "I'll let dear Cousin Owin choose who to save."

Owin frantically looked between him and Clara. Finally, he wrestled Glospin out of the way and untied the still unconscious Doctor.

"Is that what I look like from the back?" He mused.

The Master looked towards the camera filming the hologram.

"I told you I'd get her back," he said, grinning, "And now I have. What are you going to do?" He stuck his lip out in mock worry.

Suddenly, music began playing very loudly from the Hall-they were missing the feast. Each House representative had to be there, and the House of Lungbarrow was late.

* * *

"And now, will each of the Heads of Houses please stand up?"

The Master and the other Heads stood and presented themselves to Rassilon. "Give your blessing," he instructed.

Some sort of color appeared and waved itself around the couple.

The Rani stood, the representative of Brightshore. "I call upon Juno, that she may bless you in all you do." A new color weaved itself around them.

Next stood the representative from the House of Jade Dreamers, and gave their blessing. A greenish color surrounded them.

Next came Juisprudence, where blue circles weaved around the wedded couple.

"Lungbarrow!"

Silence.

Rassilon cleared his throat. "Lungbarrow!"

They waited for a millisecond before the Doctor came running in, holding a basket of rose petals. "Sorry, sorry!" He ran up to the couple. "Sorry, my humblest of apologies to the Bride and to the Groom." He knelt and kissed their feet.

"Give your blessing," Rassilon said, clearly grumpy.

"Yes, My Lord," the Doctor said, standing. He faced the couple, throwing petals over them as he explained.

"These are petals of the rose," he said. "My favorite flower. Legend has it that when in the presence of a rose, love will last forever."

He pulled out one last petal and covered it with both hands, making gold and pink light appear and lazily wrap itself around the petal.

"Hold on to this," he said, kneeling. He bowed his head, placing both palms above himself, holding the single glowing petal. The Bride took it and he kissed their feet once more, then said, "So is the blessing of Lungbarrow." The light from the petal joined the other colors.

The Houses of Oakdown and Redlooms came next, each giving a blessing and a color.

All together the colors swirled, and the Doctor watched as it became a bright, shining bubble that twisted and wrapped around the two, finally bonding them together.

After everything settled, Rassilon shouted, "It is done!"

And now, the Doctor was going to get some food before returning to find Clara.

* * *

Clara woke in a small, cramped space, with ropes tied around her and binding her to a chair.

Instinctively, she was still; she'd woken in this situation more than once. Once she figured nobody was there, judging from the cheering in the Hall, she worked to untie her ropes.

A few minutes later, she was rubbing her raw wrists and pushing along a cart of cleaning supplies to make it look like she was doing something. She got to the kitchen and frantically looked for Amy.

"Amy!" She hissed to the Prydon-colored girl. She motioned her over frantically.

"What?" Amy asked. "We're supposed to be working, where have you been?"

"I got caught up," Clara said. "I saw the Doctor get dragged away, and then someone knocked me out and I woke up in a closet."

Amy's eyes widened, flicking to the door and back to Clara. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you would've gotten in?" She asked. "One of the officials could walk in here any minute."

At just that moment, because they were so lucky that the Gallifreyan Fates loved them, the door opened with a bang and Clara was fast enough to look busy carrying some dishes next to her over to the sink. She didn't know if they were actually dirty, but it would have to do.

Amy, however, wasn't so lucky. The official caught her off guard, standing blankly in the middle of the kitchen. He stepped over to her in that menacing villain way and she stared at him for a heartsbeat before looking down.

"Well well," he snarled, and his accent reminded Clara of an Earth Scottish accent. "What do we have here?"

He placed his hand under Amy's neck and tilted her head so he could look at her. "Thought you were too good for work, did ya?"

"No, sir," Amy said.

He levels his glare. "Then why're you standin 'round doing nothing, eh?"

Amy opened her mouth to respond, but he closed it with his hand and Clara could hear the click.

"I don' care," he said. "All I know is tha a bad _slave_ needs to be punished."

He forced Amy to her knees, and by this point all the noises in the kitchen had stopped to watch them. Amy trembled, her brain clearly remembering what life was like before the Doctor. She braced herself as a swift kick landed in her side and knocked her over onto the dirty floor, gasping for breath. Clara barely managed to keep silent as well.

"Work," he said, kicking her again, this time in the ribs. "That is all you are created for. Do you hear me? _Work!"_

His kicks got more violent, and Clara tried to look away, but Amy's gaze caught hers.

"You are useless without us!" He yelled, and Clara could already see the bruises forming on her friend. "You would be nothing if we have you nowhere to work! Nothing!"

He lifted his foot to deliver a blow to her face, but Clara stupidly stepped out and shouted, "Wait!"

The official set his foot down and slowly turned to face the line of workers.

"Who said that?" He snarled, and Clara swallowed before she stepped out of the line.

"Me," she said.

He stepped over Amy, who curled in on herself prospectively. "Why would ye say anything, when ye have no right ta?"

Clara shuddered at his tone. "B-because," she said. "It's n-not her f-fault."

He rolled his neck and she resisted the ingrained instinct to bow her head. "What innt?"

"Not- not working, sir," she said.

"Why?" He pushed his face into hers. "Why would ye say anythin'?"

"She doesn't des-deserve my p-punishment, sir," Clara said, eyes closed fearfully. A gasp rippled through the room, but the official silenced them with an irritable wave of his hand.

 _"Your_ punishment?" He said incredulously. "Why 's it yer punishment? Ye were working when I came in, so why is anythin' yer fault?"

"I stole her job, sir," she said in barely more than a whisper, finally hanging her head.

"But if she ge's the punishment and not ye, why would ye care?" He asked, hand on his belt.

"Be-because," Clara stuttered out, "She's my sister."

"Ah," the official said softly. "And ye would do anythin' for yer sister, would ye not?"

She saw Amy mentioning at her to stop, but she didn't. "Yes, sir, I would."

He pulled out an electric taser. "An' if I were to offer her mercy if ye took the punishment, would ye agree?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then come 'ere," he snarled, and placed the shocker on the base of her neck. Clara cried out as she fell to the floor from the voltage.

"Up," he said, powering it again. Clara managed to stand and he repeated the process, making her fall again.

"Ye wanted to pay it!" He shouted at her groan. "Ye've got it. Up!"

Clara gritted her teeth and grasped the counter and pulled herself up. This time, he swung the taser like a baseball bat towards her, and knocked her forward, hitting her head on the counter she'd just used to pull back up.

The door opened but nobody paid attention. Slowly Clara got up once more, bleeding from the head wound.

"Still want it?" The official teased. Clara stared him in the eye.

"If it stops her from getting it."

He grinned and shocked her in the back of the knee, leaving one leg useless. She got up with some effort and stood on one leg, ready to receive the next blow.

He poised to swing, but a voice stopped him.

"What _are_ you doing?" The voice asked, and Clara nearly sighed with relief at recognizing who it was.

"Bad slave," the official said, turning to face the man. "Just givin' 'er the punishment she-"

"That is _my_ slave," the Doctor said frighteningly. "I shall deal with her as I see fit."

"Yes sir, but-"

"No," the Doctor cut him off. "My slave, my punishment. What did she do?"

"Well," the official started, "Tha' one over there weren't working when I came in, so's ah had to punish her as fit, see."

The Doctor looked over at Amy, still lying on the floor with multiple bruises on her face and arms and other places he couldn't see.

"So why are you punishing that one?" He pointed to Clara.

"Well, she says to me to give _'er_ the punishment, 'cause tha's her sister, ri' there." He pointed to Amy. "So's this one got ou' of it, and this one got it instead." He pointed to Clara.

Clara searched the Doctor's face for something to tell her that he truly wasn't angry for saving Amy and taking her place, but she found no such thing in the cold blue eyes.

"You get out," he said to the official, who quickly scrammed. The rest of the slaves in the kitchen continued their work as if nothing happened, and the Doctor knelt down to tend to Amy.

"Are you okay?" He asked, offering her a hand.

"Yeah, just a bit bruised," she said, taking it. "I'll be fine."

The Doctor pulled her up. "Come on," he said to both of them, "The ceremony's over; we're leaving."

"What about Lord President Rassilon?" Amy asked.

"To hell with Rassilon," the Doctor said. "You're hurt and it's his fault. He can deal with me later."

Clara stayed silent the whole ride home, bowing her head. She couldn't really help it, it was a defence mechanism when she was afraid. She was very, very afraid. And not just because the Doctor didn't stop her.

The scariest part of all was that he didn't say one word to Clara the entire trip home.

* * *

 **Guess who's back for a limited time only!**

 **ME!**

 **Okay, yes, I've left you hanging. Again. You're probably thinking, "Why didn't the Doctor say anything to Clara? Why didn't he treat her wounds?"**

 **Well, that shall be explained. Soon.**

 **ALSO, ONE OF THE SOURCES I USE FOR THIS SHIT HAS DECIDED TO TAKE DOWN THEIR BLOG AND I AM V ANGRY**

 **Yes, well, anyway, it took a long time to actually write this because I haven't written 2,500 words in a chapter in a very long time, but I hope you like the finished product!**

 **Yes, nerve clusters are a thing in Time Lords, and they're like the little thing on the back of a Sontaran's neck that kill them, except these don't kill the Time Lords, they just freeze them (as shown) and when pressure is executed, it forces them to literally take a nap when they don't want to.**

 **It would be quite useful for humans. Then I could use it on small children.**

 **Nothing harmful, I assure you, but useful for making someone sleep when they don't wanna.**

 **Also: Next Time Preview**

 _ **"Chei, wait up!"**_

 _ **"Hurry up, Thete!"**_

 _ **They run.**_

 _ **"Are you sure we should do this, Chei?"**_

 _ **Chei smiles seductively. "Of course."**_

 ***Wiggles eyebrows* what does the Master have to to with the Doctor's past?**


End file.
